Toy crane and self-unloading car



April 10, 1945. R 5m 2,373,271

. TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING CAR I Filed Aug. 21, 1941 e Sheets-Skeet 1 April 10, 1945. R. 6. SMITH TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 21, 1941 INVENTOR ATTOR EY April 10, 1945'. I R, G; 5mm. 2,373,271

TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING CAR Filed Aug., 21,1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 gate lmlENTORg ATTORNEY April 10, 1945. R. e. SMITH TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING GAR Filed Aug. '21, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 4 III'IIIIA INVENTOR ATT RNEY April 10, 1945. r I 2,373,271

TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING CAR Filed Aug. 21, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1H 74 INVENTOR W 55mm,

ATTOREY.

R. G. SMITH 2,373,271

TOY CRANE AND SELF UNLOADING CAR April 10, 1945.

6 Shefcs-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 21, 1941 Patented Apr. 10, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY CRANE AND SELF-UNLOADING CAR Richard G.- Smith, Amsterdam, -N. Y.-

Application August 21, 1941, Serial No. 407,769

20 Claims. (01. 214-40) This invention relates to accessory apparatus suitable for use as part of a toy railroad system and especially adapted for operating performance intended to appeal to the imagination of boys able toy load articles one by one, and then convey each such log or article in turn and deposit-it upon the platform of an open. toy freight car or upon some other designed receiving structure, and if desired, to pile such logs or articles accum-ulatively one upon the others.

Another object is to provide a toy vehicle, as a flat car, which shall be operative automatically to dump or discharge its carried load of such logs or other toy load articles whether the latter have been deposited thereon in the manner described or otherwise. I

Another object is to guide the travel of such logs when discharged from such self-dumping freight car so that the discharged logs shall reach a predetermined location from which each such log may be picked up, conveyed and redeposited or reloaded by the apparatus upon the same freight car. In this manner repeated loading and unloading movements of the same log with respect to the same freight car may be accomplished by the cooperative performances of a combined loading apparatus and self unloading railway car jointly embodying the present improvements.

Another object is to provide loading apparatus capable of performing movements like a combined crane and derrick structure.

A further object is to arrange an elevated portion of such crane-like structure so that it is disposed to bridge over a toy railway track and toy car that may stand and travel upon such track. I v

A still further object is to dispose the runway of a crane structure at an incline above and crosswise a toy freight car standing upon a toy track, and thus'to provide room for a toy train, including such car, to arrive at and depart from a position beneath the included runway for receiving' logs deposited by the crane and/or unloading logs under such runway.

A further object is to construct an apparatus which shall act for the foregoing purposes without dependence upon springs or similar delicate parts which would be liable to derangement when carelessly played with by a child.

A further object is to make use of :a balance of weights of gravity motivated parts as afactor in the operating performance of the apparatus, in a manner to call for the exercise of some "degree of mechanical sense or skill in manipulating the controls in order to produe interesting variations in the timing and performance of different parts of the crane and derrick mechanism; particularly for determining just when and where the crane shall discharge its toy logs or other load articles. A further object is to construct the crane and derrick apparatus as a unitary structure which may selectively be placedat and removed from different locations along a chosen stretch of track in a toy railway system. 1 A I A further objectis to equip a-toy car, having a load receiving and load'dumping platform,'with electromagnetic means adapted through electrical control to cause the platform toi dump its load and then become restored to loadretaining position while the'car is located at a point remote from the operator. i

A further object is to operate the crane and derrick apparatus by the expedient of a simple flexible cable designed to be pulled for motivating the crane and derrick parts in one direction and adapted when released to permit gravity caused action of said parts in opposite directions.

A still further'object isto provide an electrically controlled and/or electrically powered prime mover for automatically'pulling upon'and releasing such cable at desired'times.

The foregoing and other objectives will appear in greater particular fromthe following description of preferred forms of the invention,

in which description reference is had to the ac companying drawings wherein: Fig. lis a plan view 'of a complete toy railway accessory apparatus embodying the present improvements. I

Fig. 2 is a View taken mostly in section on the vertical plane 2-2 in Fig. 1 lookingin the direction of the arrows, showing the toy freight car in endwise elevation and showing progressive positions of certain other movable parts in broken 5 is a view taken insection on the plane.

5 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of arrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the crane trolley in side elevation positioned at its limit of upward travel on the runway of Fig. 2, parts being shown as broken away better to expose the construction.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view taken in section through the toy freight car on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking in the same direction as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 i a fragmentary perspective view of corner portions of certain parts of the toy car appearing in Figs. 1, 2 and 7.

the

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the dumping mechanism of the toy car as appearing in Fig. 2 drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 10 is a View like Fig. 9 showing the parts differently positioned.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective viewshowe ing a detail of hinge construction on the derrick.

arm.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to. a portion of Fig. 2 showing a modification of electrically driven winch operating mechanism. as viewed on the section plane 121-12 in Fig. 13 looking in the direction of thearrmrrs.v .1

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view looking from the left at Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary view taken in section on the plane l.4|4uin Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 15 is a View similartoa portion of Fig, 12 showing still another mod fication of the. winch motivating mechanism. V

Fig.16 is a View looking from the left at 15.

Fig. 1'? is a view taken in section on the plane in i 1 look n the irection o he arrows. V I

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary-perspective view showing a detail of construction of, the armature o the electromagnet of Fig. 17.

i 19 s ows some. Of he a ts 2. iiiferently, positioned. l

Fig. 20 shows the same parts as Fig. l9still differently positioned.

Fig. 21 is a diagram of electrical connections associated part cula y i h Fi 12 to inelusive.

Fi 22 is a f ee-menus pla w o the y car taken in section on the plane 2 2- .-22 in Fig. 1

r 23 is a fragmentary view taken in sec i 1' on plane -:231 1 Fie- 'lhe toy as a whole c nsis s f two maie e tions or pieces of apparatus which may cooperate mutually, or perform singly, in exercising their loading and unlgading functions.

One of the two majer parts of the toy coniprises a crane-like apparatus which serves in part as a repository for toy article or objects such as logs dumped oif froin' the toy flat car ID of a toy freight train. This grane-like loading apparatus is further operative to reload these same logs, or if preferred. to l ad li en s upon ither he same car or a different car, one by one.

The loading apparatus includes an elevated indined runway suppo ted at its 1 w end by a.- column 20 and at its high end by standard 2| d in a anner o o m a br e o er he r 10 or a y her'p e e of my r l g t c a le of riding on rails H of an electrified toy track which may include the usual. form of simulated rail-supporting sleepers 9. The third or power rail 8 of the track may be insulated in eonventional manner from sleepers Q as also is insn al d a limited length of fourth? rail 60 referred to nafter. .eolumnsi l and tandard?! o th crane framework upstand from a common base 1 l8 which may be formed by a horizontal rectangular skeleton frame work of sheet metal. Upstanding laterally spaced flanges [5 on base [8 provide a guideway herein taking the form of inclined ways which terminate in stop shoulders H5 at their low ends and provide a repository for toy logs l4. Base flanges I5 are cut away in the neighborhood of standard 2| to accommodate in crosswise relation thereto the track rails H. These track rails crossover, and may be connected fixedly to, the continuous reaches of base l8 which underlies them, by solder or welding or removable screws or other equivalent means, and may form part of a course of tracks in a toy railway system not herein shown.

Inclined runway I2 incorporates laterally spaced crane rails 26 forming ways on which rides a crane trolley 24 suspended from its four traction'wheels 25. Trolley 24 comprises a frame of U-shaped cross-section whose side walls flank the runway rails 26 and give bearing to cross shafts l3 on which the trolley wheels 25are freely rotatable. The connecting belly portion of trolley 24 extends crosswise beneath rails 26 and is apertured at l9. Carried fixedly on the side walls of trolley 24 there are two inwardly offset and laterally spaced bearing brackets 21, as best shown in Fig. 6, which jointly support a hinge pin 29 on which is pivotally mounted the derrick derrick arm. I Swinging movement of bail 32 is limited in an upward direction by direct contact of bail 32 with the derrick arm proper, and is limited in the downward direction by coming to rest on grapple abutment which latter may be fermed by continuing the stifi sheet metalof which derrick arm 28 is/composed into a shelflike extension. 1

A flexible cord or cable-like element 33 for pulling on the crank bail 32 and hauling trolley 24 is tied to said drank bail and passes upward through hole l9 and aperture 22 in derrick arm 28 in a direction athwart the runway and then around trolley pulley 34. Pulley 34 is rotatably supported on trolley 24 by means of cross shaft 46 whose ends bear rotatably if desired in the side walls of the trolley.

A stifi strip of metal 31 which affords a stationary elongated cam surface extends along a good part of the length of runway 12 and directly underlies, and spans the space between, and is fixedly secured to rails 26. Plate 3! is divided by a central elongated aperture running lengthwise thereof which permits the passing therealong of operating cord 33 as trolley 24 rides up or down the runway. Cam plate 37 terminates in twostifi upwardly bowed ends 38 which cooperate with the follower projection 36 of derrick arm 28 to determine when and to what angle this derrick arm and its carried hoist hooks 3| shall swing as ofil asioned by trolleyj24 moving along the inclined runway under control .of cord 33. a

After assing over trolley carried pulley 34, gable 33 extends up the runway and passes one or more times around and is attached to a reel 39 which is rotatable on shaft 41 supported at a high point on standard 2|. This standard may be hollow and composed of spaced side walls flanking opposite sides of pulley 39. Mounted to rotate in unison with pulle 39 is an operating drum 49 around which there is wound a number of turns of a poyver cord 4! whose end is fixed to the drum. cord extends to and-is secured to the bent arm 43 of a winch crank t2 which is journaled in the side walls of standard 2! and adapted to be swung manually by an arm or handle 4d exterior to standard 2 l. Crank 42 and its arms 43, 44 may for simplicity be formed from a continuous length of suitably bent very stiff wire or rod.

For establishing cooperative relationship between the actions of the crane apparatus described in the foregoing and the toy freight car or fiat car in, whose features of construction and operation are particularly claimed in my United States Patent No. 2,356,280, granted August 22, 1944, this car incorporates unloading means on a chassis 61 whose supporting trucks 6 and wheels may be conventional for riding along the before mentioned track rails H. Said chassis carries fixed thereon a shorter hollow raised platform 5| having end walls 68, intermediate walls 1 i, and a sloping edge surface 69. Outside of and adjacent each end wall 68, car chassis 61 presents a base seat 83 on which is adapted to rest, rock and slide the rounded corner edges 12 of the turned down end flanges 18 of tiltable table 52. This tiltable, load receiving table 52 is of specialized construction and is provided for normally retaining one or more logs i4 thereupon and for upon desired occasions dumping a load of such logs off onto the inclined ways I5 of the 'base frame of the crane apparatus. For this purpose the tiltable table 52 is provided along one of its long edges with an upstanding fixed flange 5 rigid therewith. The opposite long edge of this tiltable table is flanked 'by a similar load retainingflange 84 forming part of a collapsible apron horizontal or load retaining position, the anchored flange 65 of apron 55 rests upon the top surface of raised platform -51 and thus becomes fixedly sandwiched between said surface and the overlying marginal portion of tiltable table 52. This holds the load retaining flange 84 of the apron in firmly upstanding position.

A crank-like bail 53 for tilting the table 52 has its operating'extremities 49 pivotally engaged respectively with the end flanges 48 ofthe tiltable table 52 at crank arms length from its fulcrum bearing notches of which there are-four, two being in the end walls 68 of raised platform 5! and two being in additional walls -H intermediate end walls 68 as best shown in Fig, 22. Crank-shaft portion of bail 53 is pivotally anchored in such fulcrum bearings at 50 and derives supportalong its entire length by resting rotatably on the top surface of raised platform 5| Centrally of bail 53 between the intermediate fulcrum bearings 50, the stiff wire which forms this bail is looped to form a downward extending bight which straddlesthe stem 58 of an electromagnet plunger thereby to be actuated by the enlarged head of such plunger stem. Solenoid '59 of this'electromagnet is fixedly suspended from the car chassis 5| and has its axis disposed crosswise the car.

. For electrically energizing solenoid '59 one end of its winding may be grounded to the metallic chassis 61' of the car and thereby, through the trucks 6 and traction wheels 5 of the toy freight car, maintained in constant electrical circuit with the electrified track rails I l. The other end of the solenoid winding may be connected electrically to a conductive flexible current collector or shoe 61 which may take the form of a laterally. projecting flexible coil of fine helically wound wire mounted at its inner end on a depending plate 52 of insulating material carried by car chassis 61. Examples of suitable details of construction for this form of current collector shoe are disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial Number 492,433, filed June 26, 1943. Collector shoe '6! is adapted to ride into and: out of wiping contact with a limited length of fourth rail 69 located under thecrane' runway 26 and mounted on and insulated from sleepers 9 to be electrically contacted 'by the collector shoe while the toy car occupies a position substantially beneath the loading crane. .Suitable details of construction and arrangement for this fourth rail 6t will also be found illustrated and described in the last mentioned copending application and claimed in another copending application, Serial No. 461,947, filed October 14, 1942.

The operation of the complete toy by means of the crank handle 44 in conjunction with a circuit controller (not shown) for electrically energizing and deenergizing fourth rail 60 is as follows. Assuming the parts to occupy their full line positions in Figs. 1 and 2, logs I 4a may or may not be present on the fiat car I0 at the beginning of the operation because these logs can be dumped off from the car at any time desired as hereinafter described. We will assume that logs I ia have arrived with the car l0 when the latter reaches its location shown in Figs. 1 and 4 by traveling along tracks II, and that it is desired to add a third log b picking up one of the legs 14 on ways I5 and depositing it atop logs Ma.

All of this may be accomplished by merely swinging crank handle 44 with-reasonable slowness away from stop stud 99 in Figs. 1 and 2 to its position indicated as 44' in Fig. 2. The corresponding downward swing of crank arm 43 pulls downward on power cord 4| which is wound about drum 4!) and this causes pulley 39 to rotate clockwise in Fig. 2 which thereby draws cord 33 upwards of runway I2 in Fig. 2.

The first effect of this pulling on cord 33 is to swing only the hoist hooks 3 I. from their full line position to their broken line position indicated as 31a in Fig. 2 whereupon the lower terminals of the hoist hooks encounter and begin to pick up log I4, Continued pulling on cord 33 actually lifts log I4, the weight of this log now becoming added to the resistance against the pulling of cord 33 so that this cord because of passing about pulley 34 begins to haul trolley 24 up the runway l2 which action advances pivot29 up the runway conveying derrick arm 28 from its position in Fig. 2 to its position in Fig. 19. In the latter figure it is observed that cam follower nose 36 of derrick arm 23 has been diverted from a straight path of travel because of wiping against the stationary cam'plate terminals. 33, Thi

torcesderrick arm .28 to swing clockwise about trolley carried pivot 29 in Fig. 19 and its carried log. hasbecome firmly clamped between hoist hook .z3l and grapple, abutment 35 by means of the clockwise swinging of hoist hooks 3| about their pivots :30.

. Further log hoisting and conveying progress is evident in 20 inwhich the illustrated positions of parts results from continued pulling upon cord 33. .Also in Fig. 20 the two remaining logs L4 on ways l5 .have been permitted to roll down the ways by gravity toward stop shoulders |6 whereat the leading log will be stopped ready to be lifted by the hoist hooks when they perform theirreturn journey forpicking up a subsequent s.

Position 31b .of the hoist hookand position 281) of the derrick arm are assumed as a result of continued travel of trolley 24 up the runway i2. brings pulley 34 into position 341) and brings pivot 29 into position 2912. At this or any neighboring point in the journey of the trolley 24, if the operator should suddenly let up or 1 135 0111301). cord 33 by swinging crank handle 44 reversely or counterclockwise in Fig. 2, the hoist would immediately swing from position 3 ID to position 3|c under the weight of the log as carried at M'b thus permitting the log to drop to position 140 on the ways IS. The dropped log would roll down ways I and join the group of logs I4. So long, however, as a taut pull is maintained upon cord 33, the space between the terminals of hoist hooks 3|b and the grapple abutments 35b is maintained smaller than is the log diameter so that the log cannot fall out of the hoist hook.

Finally, as .a result of continued pulling upon cord 33, trolley 24 arrives at its position shown in Fig. 6 wherein trolley wheel .25 will be stopped against the upright wall of column 2|. In this position of the parts shown in full lines in Fig.

6, so long as cord 33 is held taut, the log will remain in its suspended position indicated as Mr; in each: of Figs. 2 and 6 and approximately directly over the freight car M. In this position of derrick arm 28 the cam plate 3'! is still opv erative to check counterclockwise swinging of the derrick arm about pivot 29 so that if the operator suddenly lets up on cord 33, the derrick arm will perform no appreciable dropping but the log will drop'from its position |4d through its positions 1.4 and I4) to position 14g atop the logs Mo on flat car In. Hoist hooks 3| swing from full line position in Fi 6 to broken line position in Fig. 6 for releasing the log and permitting it thus to be loaded on or placed aboard the freight car. A predetermined relationship of the freight car to the trackside column 2| insures that the log will drop upon the car when trolley 24 is in its uppermost stopped position asv in Fig. 6.

After thus dropping its carried log responsively to sudden let-up on cord 33, as caused by smartly swinging the operating crank 42 a, small degree counterclockwise in Fig. 2, continued counterclockwise swinging of crank 42 will permit pulley 39 to rotate counterclockwise and play off cord 33. The weight of trolley 24 will cause the latter to coast down the runway l2 and take up the slack in cord 33. Toward the end of this coastng down the runway, the cam follower nose 36 of derrick arm 28 encounters the upwardly bowed cam plate terminals 38 which are now being passed by the trolley traveling in the opposite direction and the derrick arm and hoistv hook will pass through successive positions 3 I j, 28! and 3| 9,

28g finally becoming restored to their full line positions 3 If, .28! in Fig. 2.

With reference to the loading of the toy freight car-with one or more logs, it will be understood that if the car arrived at its location to be loaded in empty condition, the above described action of the crane apparatus could be repeated for first placing two logs in position Ma, and then a third time for placing log Mo on top of the other two logs. At each excursion of derrick arms 28 up and down the runway the hoist hooks operate to pick up, convey and deposit one log, whereupon the remaining logs on ways It automatically advance down the ways to be picked up in their turn one-by-one. Depending upon the size of the logs in relation to the size of the freight car, any desired number of logsor bundles 'of toy sticks or other such toy articles capable of being handled by the hoist hooks can be loaded upon a toy freight car as desired.

It will be understood that whereas hoist hooks 3| and toy logs M are herein chosen to illustrate toy material and handling apparatus embodying the invention, the principles of action of the crane trolley and the derrick rm as operated by cord 33 are broadly susceptible of being employed for lifting toy bulk materials such as sand or liquids by means of any suitable container or bucket as a clam shell or dredge type of bucket, by means 01 which bucket the material can be conveyed to a position over the toy car and then deposited upon the car by opening or overturning the bucket. Such bucket might swing as do hoist hooks 3| or operate in other well known ways as for instance described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,326,934 to scoop up and discharge toy material as part of the apparatus of th present toy.

Figs. 12, 13 and 14, show a modification consisting of the substitution of the electrically controlled application of electric power means in place of manual means for actuating the toy. Here the handle operated crank 42 is replaced by an electric motor 75 mounted on frame bracket 16 secured to base |8 by rivets l4 and whose shaft worm 1'! serves as prime mover. A helical gear 18 fixed on a longitudinally slidable winch shaft 19 can be shifted into and out of mesh with worm TI and thereby serves as a power disconnect clutch, capable of establishing or disconnecting power drive to a winch shaft 19. This shaft is freely rotatable and slidable lengthwise in bearings in the spaced frame brackets 8|l.and 8|. On the left end of shaft 19 inFig. 14 there is shown to be fixedly carried a magnetic plunger 82 which is free to rotate and slide axially in the hollow core of solenoid 8 3. A coiled spring 84 is lengthiwise under compression between gears 18 and bracket and constantly urges shaft 79 toward the right in Figs. 13 and 14. Solenoid 83 i fixedly supported on a frame bracket'85 which is removably secured to base l8 by a screw 86 and has the left end of its core cavity plugged by the stop stud 88. Stud 8.8 allows a predetermined extent of movement for plunger 82 toward the left in Fig. 14 when solenoid 83 is electrically energized and draws shaft 19 toward the left against the yielding resistance of spring 84. This movement of shaft 19 throws gear 18 into mesh with worm H as shown in Fig. 13. Ashoulder 89 at the junction of shaft l9 and plunger 82 abuts against bracket 80 and limits spring urged movement of ly thereto. A friction washer SI separates spool 90 from gear I8 and constantly urges the former toward the right in Figs. 13 and 14 and against a thrust collar 92 fixed to shaft I8 by set screw 93. Thus spool 90 is caused to be rotated yield-' ably by shaft I9 in either direction but slippage can always take place between this spool and shaft when the load on the spool becomes excessive. Cord 38, after passing over pulley 39, extends downward to and is attached to friction driven spool 90 in a manner to be wound up on the latter and played off therefrom when spool 90 rotates in respectively opposite directions.

The wiring diagram of Fig. 21 indicates-that motor I6 and solenoid 83 may be connected electrically in shunt relationship to supply lines 94 and 95 through a common circuit making and breaking switch 96 which may be located at any convenient point remote from the toy. If desired switch 96 can be located near the usual electrical controller or controllers (not shown) which serve to make or break the circuit or circuits which feed traction rails I I together with third rail 8 and/or fourth rail 88.

Figs. 15 to 18, inclusive, show a different form of electrically controlled application of electrical power for winding up the hoist and hauling cord 33, and playing it off as desired. In this modification the winch shaft I80 is freely rotatable and freely slidable lengthwise in spaced arms MI and I02 of bearing bracket I83 which bracket is fixedly mounted on base I8 by screws and nuts I84. Electric motor I85 also is mounted on bracket I 23 and the latter affords bearing for a worm I06 axially aligned with and rotated by motor shaft I81. A helical gear I88, similar to gear I8 is made fast to winch shaft Hill by means of its hub I 09 and set screw H8. Spring III is coiled loosely about shaft I and is constantly under axial compression between bracket arm I8I and gear hub I 89 thus acting constantly to urge gear I88 and shaft I80 toward the right in Figs. 16 and 17. A thrust collar I I2 is made fast to winch shaft I08 by means of set screw I I3. The limit of movement of collar H2 and shaft I80 toward the right is determined by the swayable electromagnetic armature bar I I4 which intervenes between collar H2 and bracket arm I02. This armature bar has an elongated aperture H inits upper end permitting said end to have tilt permitting play relative to shaft I08. Thus shaft I118 passes freely through the armature bar and this bar is in effect somewhat loosely suspended from the shaft.

' The bottom end of armature bar H4 is slidably fulcrumed or loosely anchored in an aperture H6 in the base I8 so that a mean section of the length of bar I I4 comes within the magnetic field of the projecting core plug I I! of a solenoid H8 mounted bymeans of screw I22 on stationary frame bracket II 9. This bracket is secured to base I8 by screws I28 and may have a cutout I2! registering with aperture H6 to assist in providing a rugged pivotal anchorage for the lower end of armature bar I I4 as best shown in Fig. 18. A stop collar I23 fixed on the extreme right end of winch shaft I40 by means of -set screw I24 in Fig. 16 acts as a stop to limit the lengthwise movement of this shaft toward the left to a position wherein gear I88 is in mesh with worm I06.

Just as in Figs. 12 to 14, there is mounted on shaft I00 between gear I08 and thrust collar II2, a winding spool 98 which is slippably rotatable with shaft IllIJ by means of a friction washer 9I' which separates spool 98 from gear I88 and constantly urges spool 90 toward the right in Figs.

16 and 1'7 and against thrust collar" II 2. Cord 33', after assing over pulley 39, extends downward to and is attached to friction driven spool in a manner to be wound up on and played off from the latter by rotation thereof in respectively opposite directions. The same scheme of electrical connections as is indicated in Fig. 21 may be employed for the apparatus of Figs. 12 to 14, motor I taking the place of motor I6 and solenoid IE8 taking the place of solenoid 83. In operating the crane and derrick apparatus by electrically controlled application of the power of electric motor IS in Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 21, a

remotely located switch 98 maybe closed to begin the action instead of throwing handle 44 'of the crank 42 as in the manually actuated form of the apparatus. This simultaneously energizes motor i8 and the solenoid 83 resulting in worm lI rotating at full speed and gear I8 being shifted toward the left from its osition in Fig. 14 to its position in Fig. 13 as solenoid 83 draws magnetic plunger 82 further into its magnetic field I against the resistance of spring 84. The helical teeth on gear I8 freely slide into mesh with the teeth of worm I? even if the latter be rotating at high speed. As shaft I9 is drawn lengthwise toward the left in Fig. 14 the left extremity of plunger 82 encounters the stationary magnetic core plug 88 and rotates while remaining in contact therewith. Friction betweenplunger 82 and plug 88 is practically eliminated by cone-pointing the contacting end of plunger 82 as shown in Fig. 14. Gear I8 is now rotated clockwise in Fig.-

play out as fast as the slack can be taken up bythe coasting of trolley 24 down the runway. This is accomplished by merely opening switch 96 which instantly deenergizes solenoid 83 and permits spring 84 to shift gear I8 toward the right from its position in Fig. 13 to its position in Fig. 14. Thus the power drive is broken between gear I8 and worm T1, the latter immediately ceas ing to rotate because motor 16 becomes deprived of current at the same time. While spool becomes free to rotate counterclockwise in Fig. 12 whenever switch 98 is opened so that this'spool 9!] plays ofi? the cord 33 as fast as trolley 24 coasts down the runway I2, it will be understood that the frictional force due to spring 9|, by means of which shaft I9 impels spool 90, is sufficiently great to pull trolley 24 and its carried log up the runway I2 and hence is sufiiciently great at all times toprevent trolley 24 from coasting down runway I2 unless shaft 19 is made free to turnby opening switch 96. If it is desired to hold the. trolley stationary at apoint up the runway tremoved from its full line position in Fig. 2, another switch 98 may be interposed in the circuit between solenoid 83 and motor I6 as as indicated in Fig. 21 so that the motor may be When in the motor impelled'travel of trolley 24 slippage taking place between shaft 19 and spool 80. In: this stalled condition of the trolley, the moment switch 98- is opened the motor will stop running and the: trolley will be; unefiected because gear 18 will remain interlocked with the non rotating worm I-'I.- But the moment switch 96 is opened, gear 18, shaft I9 and spool 90- allin unison, become free to rotate, the hoist hooks first discharge their carried log, and then the trolley coasts down the runway. It is to be observed that-no movement of the trolley down the runway is necessary to permit, the hoist hooks firstto. swing and dump their load because the trolley carried pulley 34 is entirely free to rotate while the trolley stands still and the downward pull or combined weight of. the log, hoist hooks and derrick arms may keep the trolley at'a stand still until the log has been discharged from the hoist hooks.

In'Figs. 1-5 to 18, inclusive, the. closing of switch 56 of Fig. 21 will be understood to energize motor I05 and solenoid H8 simultaneously which will immediately start worm I08 rotating and cause the electromagnetic core H! to attract the armature IM forcing the latter to swingfrom its position in Fig. 1:7 to its position in Fig. 16. This causesZgear I08? to pass intomesh'with worm I06 whether or not the latter is rotating and the stop collar I23 limits the travel of gear I08 toward the. left to a' proper positionof mesh with the worm. Upon opening switch 9B,spring HI restores the parts totheir positions in Fig. 17 disengaging gear .lIlB from worm I06. The axial distance between collar H2 and gear I08 may be the same as between collar 92 and gear I8 in Fig.1-4e so that thesame spool 90 and friction washer 91: may be employed as in the form of the power mechanism disclosed in Figs. 12, 13 and 14.

The particular forms of electrical power drive I and; clutch control herein chosen to illustrate the invention include particular features of construction in toy power winch mechanism appearing in Figs. 1-2ito18, and 21 which are disclosed and claimed in a co-pending application, Serial No. 554,288,. filed September 15-, 1944'.

The framework of the log loading apparatus may be embellished with suitable structural shape and surface coloring toimitate the appearance of actual buildingsltowers, platforms, etc., commonly seen in logging camps thereby to enhance the realism of the toy. As an example, the tower house 91 is represented atop the column 2I and concealing the pulley 39 so as to give the visionary impression that all of the power mechanism is contained within the imitative house structure 9-'I-.

Many modifications of theparticularforms and arrangement of parts: herein disclosed to illus-' mate the; invention will be suggested by this'disclosure. to workers in the art and theappended claims are directed and intended to cover all fair equivalents and v commonly known substitutes for any of the. particular constructions and relation.-

ships of partsherein disclosed.

lclaimz.

1.. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects, embodying in. combination, an elevated runway, a. trolley supported to ride along said runway, a derrick arm carried by said trolley, a hook-like; device carried by said derrick arm adapted to engage a load object, and remotely controlled actuating means including a pullable' cable-like element operatively engaged with both said hook-like device and said trolley for transmitting. hauling force thereto.

2. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects, embodying in combination, an elevated runway, a trolley supported to ride along said. runway, 21; derrick arm carried by said trolley, at hook-like device carried by said derrick arm adapted to engage a load object, and remotely controlled actuating means including a manually operable cable-like element operatively engaged with both said device and said trolley in a manner to transmit hauling force to said hook-like devicein an up and down direction athwart' said runway and simultaneously to transmi't hauling force to said trolley in a direction along said runway.

3. Toy. crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said derrick arm is pivotally connected to the said trolley, and the said hook-like device is pivotally connected to said derrick arm.

4. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said derrick arm is pivotally connected to the said trolley, and the said hook-like device has a load retaining free', end and is pivotally connected to said derrick arm, together" with a grapple abutment fixed on the said derrick arm in position to be approached and receded from by said free end of said hook-like device as the latter performs swinging movement relative to said derrick arm.

5. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy I 7 weight of the said trolley to drag the said cablelike element downward along said runway when said element is released from the said hauling force.

7. Toy crane apparatus for transporting my load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said runway is sufiioiently inclined to enable the weight of the said trolley to drag the said cablelike element downward along said runway when said element is released from the said hauling force, together with a reel constructed and arranged by rotation in one direction to wind said cable-like element thereupon for exertingsaid hauling force and by rotation in the opposite direction to play off said element responsive to said drag of the trolley.

8. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toywith an elongated cam surface stationed in fixed relation to and extending along said runway, and a follower projection carried by said derrick arm disposed to ride along and wipe againstsai'd camsurface in a manner to determine the angleof inclination of said derrick arm relative to said runway corresponding to different positions of said trolley along the latter.

9. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said derrick arm has a pivotal connection to the said trolley, and the said hook-like device is pivotally connected to said derrick arm, together with an elongated cam surface stationed in fixed relation to and extending along said runway, said derrick arm having a stub end portion on the opposite side of its said pivotal connection from said hook-like device disposed to wipe against said cam surface thereby to determine the angle of inclination of said derrick arm relative to said runway corresponding to different positions of said trolley along the latter.

10. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said derrick arm is pivotally connected to the said trolley, and the said hook-like device is pivotally connected to said derrick arm, together with an elongated cam surface stationed in fixed relation to and extending along said runway and divided by a longitudinally extending cut-out through which the said cable-like element extends and along which said element rides as said trolley travels along said runway, and a follower projection carried by said derrick arm disposed to ride in engagement with said cam surface in a manner to determine the angle of inclination of said derrick arm relative to said runway. corresponding to different positions of said trolley along the latter.

11. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects, embodying in combination, an elevated runway, a trolley supported to'ride along said runway, a pulley rotatably carried by said trolley, a derrick arm carried by said trolley, a hook-like device carried by said derrick arm adapted to engage a load object, and remotely controlled actuating means including a cablelike element operatively engaged with said device and passing around said pulley in a manner to transmit pulling force to said hook-like device in a direction athwart said track and simultaneously to transmit hauling force to said trolley in a direction along said track.

12. In combination with toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in cliam 1, inclined ways below the said elevated runway directed downward toward a point beneath said runway, and stop means to arrest toy objects at said point after said objects have advanced downward along said ways.

13. Toy crank apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said runway is sufiiciently inclined to enable the weight of the said trolley to drag the said cablelike element downward along said runway when said element is released from the said hauling force, together with a reel adapted to wind said cable-like element thereupon and to play the same oif therefrom, an electric motor, and clutch devices constituting releasable driving connections between said motor and said reel.

14. In combination with toy crane'apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, inclined ways below the said elevated a course of toy railroad track extending crosswise said ways, and a toy car equipped with load object dumping apparatus adapted to ride along said track to a position for discharging carried load objects onto said ways. I

15. The combination with a toy wheeled vehicle inpellable to a designed location in its path of travel, of apparatus near said location for unloading from and loading upon said vehicle portable toy load articles, including a crane framework upstanding beside said vehicle to a level relatively elevated thereabove, a repository for said toy load articles located beside said vehicle at'a level therebelow including a guideway inclined downward in a direction away from said vehicle, unloading means carried by said vehicle operative to discharge said articles at least one at a time from said vehicle downward onto said repository, and loading means including cranelike conveyor parts ridably supported on said frame-work operative to lift said articles at least one at a time from a low point on said repository and deposit the same upon said vehicle.

16. The combination defined in claim 15, in which the said crane framework and the said guideway are elongated from the said low point in a common direction leading to the said location along their said respective levels, and the said crane-like parts are movable in said direction relative to said location.

17. The combiantion defined in claim 15, in which the said crane framework is structurally united with the said guideway, together with a stop for the said toy load article incorporated in the said crane framework at the low end of said guideway.

18. The combination defined in claim 15, in which the said crane framework includes ways, and the said repository includes additional ways, both of said ways extending in a common direction leading to the said location of said vehicle, and said ways being inclined from respectively different high points near said location to respectively different relatively low points relatively remote from said location. i a

19. The combination defined in claim 15, together with a course of railway track extending to the said location for guiding the said vehicle thereto, and structure interconnecting said track and the said crane framework and the said repository in a manner to maintain them all in fixed relationship,

20. Toy crane apparatus for transporting toy load objects as defined in claim 1, in which the said runway is sufficiently inclined to enable the weight of the said trolley to drag the said cablelike element downward along said runway when saidv element is released from the said hauling force, together with a reel adapted to wind said cable-like element thereupon and to pay the same ofi therefrom, an electric motor, and clutch devices constituting yieldable driving connections between said motorand said reel.

RICHARD o. SMITH. 

